Electrolyzed water production apparatus

ABSTRACT

An electrolyzed water production apparatus of the type which includes an electrolytic cell provided therein with a set of electrodes for producing electrolyzed water by electrolysis of brine, a water supply conduit for supply of the brine into the electrolytic cell, a discharge conduit for introducing the electrolyzed water into a storage tank, a controller box formed to contain therein an electric power source device and its accessory parts for applying DC voltage between the electrodes and an electric blower for cooling the power source device and its accessory parts, and a cabinet formed to contain the electrolytic cell, water supply conduit, discharge conduit and controller box, wherein the blower is arranged in the controller box to circulate cooling air in the interior of the cabinet through a water system composed of at least one of the electrolytic cell, water supply conduit and discharge conduit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electrolyzed water productionapparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus for producingelectrolyzed water by electrolysis of brine in an electrolytic cell.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In the field of this kind of apparatuses, there has been proposed anelectrolyzed water production apparatus of the type which includes anelectrolytic cell provided therein with a set of electrodes forelectrolyzing diluted brine into acid-ion water and alkaline-ion water,a water supply conduit for supply of the diluted brine into theelectrolytic cell, discharge conduits for introducing the electrolyzedwater respectively into an acid-ion water tank and an alkaline-ion watertank, a controller box provide therein with an electric power sourcedevice and its accessory parts for applying DC voltage between theelectrodes, and an electric blower for cooling the accessory parts ofthe power source device. In such a conventional apparatus, all thecomponent parts of the apparatus are contained within a cabinet as shownin FIG. 10, wherein the cabinet is provided at its front panel with anair intake for introducing fresh air into the cabinet for cooling thepower source device and its accessory parts and at its rear panel with avent-hole located at a position opposed to the air intake.

In such arrangement of the component parts in the cabinet, it isrequired to provide an air filter at the intake for preventing entry ofcontaminants, dusts, oil, etc. into the interior of the cabinet. The airfilter must be cleaned or replaced with a new one for maintenance of theelectrolyzed water production apparatus. In addition, when the apparatusis placed at a desired position, it is needed to position the cabinet insuch a manner that the vent-hole is spaced in an appropriate distancefrom a side wall adjacent thereto.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to providean electrolyzed water production apparatus wherein a water systemcomposed of component parts indispensable for the apparatus is utilizedto cool a power source device and its accessory parts without providingany additional parts such as an air filter.

According to the present invention, there is provided an electrolyzedwater production apparatus which includes an electrolytic cell providedtherein with a set of electrodes for producing electrolyzed water byelectrolysis of brine, a water supply conduit for supply of the brineinto the electrolytic cell, a discharge conduit for introducing theelectrolyzed water into a storage tank, a controller box formed tocontain therein an electric power source device and its accessory partsfor applying DC voltage between the electrodes and an electric blowerfor cooling the power source device and its accessory parts, and acabinet formed to contain the electrolytic cell, the water supplyconduit, the discharge conduit and the controller box, wherein theblower is arranged in the controller box to circulate cooling air in theinterior of the cabinet through a water system composed of at least oneof the electrolytic cell, water supply conduit and discharge conduit.

According to an aspect of the present invention, the electrolytic cellis arranged to cool the cooling air circulated therethrough, wherein theelectrolytic cell is formed at its outer periphery with heat absorptionfins.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a hydraulic pumpfor supply of water to the water system is arranged to cool the coolingair circulated therethrough, wherein a housing of the hydraulic pump isformed at its outer periphery with heat absorption fins.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will bemore readily appreciated from the following detailed description ofpreferred embodiments thereof when taken together with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of an electrolyzed water production apparatus inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the electrolyzed water production apparatusshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the electrolyzed water production apparatusshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a left side view of the electrolyzed water productionapparatus;

FIG. 5 is a front view of component parts assembled within a cabinet ofthe electrolyzed water production apparatus shown in FIG. 1, wherein afront panel of the cabinet is removed;

FIG. 6 is a rear view of the components parts assembled within thecabinet of the electrolyzed water production apparatus shown in FIG. 1,wherein a rear panel of the cabinet is removed;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the component parts assembled within thecabinet of the electrolyzed water production apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a left side view of the component parts assembled within thecabinet of the electrolyzed water production apparatus, wherein a leftside panel of the cabinet is removed;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a hydraulic pump assembly in amodification of the electrolyzed water production apparatus shown inFIG. 1; and

FIG. 10 is a front view of a conventional electrolyzed water productionapparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is illustrated a cabinet 10 of anelectrolyzed water production apparatus in accordance with the presentinvention. The cabinet 10 is formed to contain an electrolytic cell 20,component parts of a water supply system for the electrolytic cell 20and a controller box 30, respectively shown in FIGS. 5 to 8. The cabinet10 is composed of a front panel 11 hinged to a frame structure to beopened and closed, and a rear panel 12, an upper panel 13, a bottompanel 14 and a pair of side panels 15 and 16 respectively mounted to theframe structure in the form of an integral structure. As shown in FIGS.2 and 3, the upper panel 13 is provided with a water supply inlet port17 for connection to a service water conduit (not shown) and outletports 18, 19 for connection to discharge conduits of electrolyzed water(not shown).

The electrolytic cell 20 includes a housing formed therein with a pairof reaction chambers isolated to one another by means of a cationpermeable diaphragm and a pair of electrodes contained within thereaction chambers and opposed to one another through the diaphragm. Inactivation of the electrolytic cell 20, the electrodes are applied withDC voltage under control of an electric controller 33 in the controllerbox 30. As shown in FIG. 8, the housing of electrolytic cell 20 isprovided at its opposite side walls with a pair of inlet ports 21 and apair of outlet ports 22 respectively in open communication with thereaction chambers. The inlet ports 21 are connected to bifurcatedconduits 43a and 43b of a diluted brine supply conduit 43 shown in FIG.6, while the outlet ports 22 are connected to a pair of dischargeconduits 44 and 45 shown in FIG. 7. The diluted brine supply conduit 43is connected to a water supply conduit 41 and a saturated brine supplyconduit 47 by means of a Joint conduit 43c. As shown in FIG. 8, thehousing of electrolytic cell 20 is integrally formed at its oppositeside walls with latticed heat absorption fins 20a.

The water supply conduit 41 is connected to the water supply inlet port17, and an electromagnetic water supply valve 42 of the normally closedtype is provided on the water supply conduit 41 to be opened undercontrol of the electric controller 33 in the controller box 30. Thedischarge conduits 44 and 45 are connected to the outlet ports 18 and 19through an electrically operated changeover valve 46. As shown in FIG.6, the saturated brine supply conduit 47 is extended downwardly andconnected to an outlet port of a hydraulic pump 48 placed behind thecontroller box 30. An extension conduit 47a is connected at its innerend to an inlet port of the hydraulic pump 48 and is extended outwardlyfrom the cabinet 10 for connection to a saturated brine tank (not shown)at its outer end.

The changeover valve 46 is switched over by operation of an electricmotor (not shown) under control of the electric controller 33 to bemaintained in a first position when the electrodes of electrolytic cell20 are applied with DC voltage in a forward direction and to bemaintained in a second position when the electrodes of electrolytic cell20 are applied with DC voltage in a reverse direction. With such controlof the changeover valve 46, acid-ion water is discharged from the outletport 18, while alkaline-ion water is discharged from the outlet port 19.

The hydraulic pump 48 is driven by an electric motor assembled therewithunder control of the electric controller 33 to supply the saturatedbrine from the saturated brine tank into the joint conduit 43c throughthe extension conduit 47a and saturated brine supply conduit 47. In thisembodiment, a brine concentration sensor (not shown) is provided in thediluted brine supply conduit 43 to detect concentration of the dilutedbrine supplied into the reaction chambers of electrolytic cell 20, andthe operation of hydraulic pump 48 is controlled by the electriccontroller 33 in accordance with a detection value of the concentrationsensor to maintain the concentration of the diluted brine in apredetermined value. In actual practices of the present invention, thebrine concentration sensor may be replaced with an ammeter arranged todetect an electrolysis current in the electrolytic cell. In such a case,the operation of hydraulic pump 48 is controlled by the electriccontroller 33 in accordance with a detection value of the ammeter.

The controller box 30 is formed to contain therein the electriccontroller 33, the electric power source device 31 and its accessoryparts for applying DC voltage to the electrodes of electrolytic cell 20and the cooling blower 32 for cooling the accessory parts of powersource device 31. The controller box 30 is provided at its front wallwith an intake 34 shown in FIG. 5 and at its rear wall with a vent-hole35 shown in FIG. 6 and is located adjacent one side of the electrolyticcell 20. The electric controller 33 is designed to control supply of thepower to the electrodes of electrolytic cell 20 and each operation ofthe water supply valve 42, changeover valve 46, hydraulic pump 48 andblower 32.

During activation of the electrolyzed water production apparatus,acid-ion water and alkaline-ion water are produced in the electrolyticcell 20, and the blower 32 is driven to cause the flow of air from theintake 34 toward the vent-hole 35. Thus, the power source device 31 andits accessory parts are cooled by the flow of air, and the air exhaustedfrom the vent-hole 35 flows toward the hydraulic pump 48 and circulatesinto the intake 34 through a water system composed of the electrolyticcell 20, water supply conduit 41 and discharge conduits 44, 45 ofelectrolyzed water. During circulation of the air, the electric motor ofhydraulic pump 48 is cooled by the air, while the air is cooled by thewater system.

From the above description, it will be understood that the power sourcedevice 31 and its accessory parts are sufficiently cooled by the aircirculating through the water system in the interior of cabinet 10. Withsuch arrangement of the controller box 30, it becomes unnecessary tointroduce any outside air into the cabinet 10 for cooling the powersource device 31 and its accessory parts. This is useful to facilitateplacement and maintenance of the electrolyzed water productionapparatus.

As the water system composed of the component parts indispensable forthe electrolyzed water production apparatus is effectively utilized tocool the air circulating therethrough, the apparatus can be provided ata low cost without providing any additional parts for cooling the air.In the case that the controller box 30 is placed adjacent to thehydraulic pump 48, electrolytic cell 20, service water supply conduit 41and discharge conduits 44, 45 as in the embodiment described above, thewater system can be adapted to enhance cooling efficiency of the air,and the electrolyzed water production apparatus can be provided in asmall size.

In addition, the air warmed by the power source device and its accessoryparts during cooling thereof is utilized to warm the saturated brineflowing through the interior of the hydraulic pump 48, the water flowingthrough the service water supply conduit 41 and the diluted brinesupplied into the electrolytic cell 20. As a result, a dissolutiondegree of effective chlorine during electrolysis of the diluted brine isincreased to enhance the concentration of effective chlorine inelectrolyzed water. Furthermore, the heat absorption fins 20a formed onthe side walls of electrolytic cell 20 are useful to enhance coolingefficiency of the air.

Although in the foregoing embodiment, the heat absorption fins 20a havebeen formed on the side walls of electrolytic cell 20 to enhance coolingefficiency of the air, the housing 48a of hydraulic pump 48 may beformed with heat Id absorption fins 48b as shown in FIG. 9. In actualpractices of the present invention, only a portion of the water systemsuch as an upstream portion of the water system or a portion of theelectrolytic cell 20, service water supply conduit 41 or dischargeconduits 44, 45 may be adapted to cool the air circulating in theinterior of cabinet 10.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electrolyzed water production apparatuscomprising:a closed cabinet formed to contain a controller box, anelectrolytic cell placed at one side of said controller box in theinterior of said cabinet, a water supply conduit for supply of brineinto said electrolytic cell and a discharge conduit for dischargingelectrolyzed water produced by said electrolytic cell, said electrolyticcell being provided therein with a set of electrodes for producing theelectrolyzed water of electrolysis of brine, said controller box beingformed to contain therein an electric power source device and itsaccessory parts for applying DC voltage between the electrodes of saidelectrolytic cell and an electric blower for cooling the power sourcedevice and its accessory parts, wherein said controller box has a firstside wall formed with an air intake and a second side wall formed with avent-hole, and wherein a water system composed of at least one of saidelectrolytic cell, said water supply conduit and said discharge conduitis arranged in a circulation path of cooling air discharged from thevent-hole of said controller box and circulated into the air intake ofsaid controller box through said electrolytic cell.
 2. An electrolyzedwater production apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidelectrolytic cell is arranged to cool the cooling air circulatedtherethrough.
 3. An electrolyzed water production apparatus as claimedin claim 2, wherein said electrolytic cell is formed at its outerperiphery with heat absorption fins.
 4. An electrolyzed water productionapparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a hydraulic pump for supply ofwater to said water system is arranged to cool the cooling aircirculated therethrough.
 5. An electrolyzed water production apparatusas claimed in claim 4, wherein a housing of said hydraulic pump isformed at its outer periphery with heat absorption fins.
 6. Anelectrolyzed water production apparatus comprising:a closed cabinet; acontroller box housed in said closed cabinet, said controller box beingprovided therein with an electric power source device and its accessoryparts and an electric blower for cooling the power source device and itsaccessory parts in operation; an electrolytic cell installed within saidclosed cabinet at one side of said controller box, said electrolyticcell having a set of electrodes for producing electrolyzed water byelectrolysis of brine; a water supply conduit arranged within saidclosed cabinet for supply of the brine into the electrolytic cell; and adischarge conduit arranged within said closed cabinet for dischargingthe electrolyzed water from said electrolytic cell toward the exterior;wherein said controller box is formed at one side wall thereof with anair intake and at the other side wall thereof with a vent hole, andwherein a water system composed of at least one of said water supplyconduit, said electrolytic cell and said discharge conduit is arrangedin a circulation path of cooling air discharged from the vent-hole ofsaid controller box and circulated into the air intake of saidcontroller box through said electrolytic cell in said closed cabinet. 7.An electrolyzed water production apparatus as claimed in claim 6,wherein said water system is arranged upstream of said electrolyticcell.